Dungeon
by JaneyKatherineHummingbird
Summary: A Rescue Attempt to save Jim and Spock doesn't quite make it in time... ANGST. Major character death.
1. Chapter 1

Dungeon

The rescue party arrived in the damp dungeon where the captain and his first officer were held prisoner. "Spock!" shouted Uhura, rushing to the chained up commander. He was covered in green blood, but still breathing. "Get the captain..." he gasped out as his shackles were broken off. "The torture was severe...his screams were painful to my ears."

Uhura's eyes filled with tears as she saw Jim's limp form completely held up by the chains, head sunk forward, blood all over his bare torso and alarmingly still. The fact that he hadn't moved since the away team had broken down the door led the communications officer to suspect the worst. Jim was a highly alert individual, especially when his crew was in danger. Evidently, his injuries had just been too much. The security officers with the team quietly checked the silent Captain and shook their heads, finding no signs of life. The lieutenant's heart broke at the devastating truth. The Captain of the Enterprise was now beyond their help.

"Spock, Jim's gone," she whispered, "He must have died shortly before we arrived. I'm so sorry." Spock closed his eyes and felt the horrible waves of grief wash over him.

"I attempted...to...keep him...awake. He was... determined to...survive. A lesser person would have succumbed hours...ago with the amount of injuries he suffered. Oh, Captain.." Spock hung his head.

Uhura nodded to the officers who began to remove Jim's body from the chains. They had already dealt with the aliens who had done this, now they had to return to the ship and break the news to the crew. It hurt her to see the pain still etched in his dead face.

She worked on bandaging Spock's wounds the best she could while the deceased captain was solemnly freed from his chains and lowered to the floor.

"It looks like he was kicked, bludgeoned, whipped, and who knows what else," muttered Hendorff grimly, looking at the gashes and bruises covering Jim. "There was head trauma as well." He pointed to a red stained patch of dirty blonde hair.

"Yes," confirmed Spock. They struck him when he would not answer their questions.

"We'll let Doctor McCoy figure that out," Uhura said decisively, not wanting to even imagine what had happened. "Let's get back to the ship. Meyers, help me with Spock. Hendorff and Lir, carry Kirk." They nodded and moved into position. Less than a minute later, they were back on the Enterprise and facing a horrified Doctor Leonard McCoy.


	2. Red Water

The body was a mess: a battered, bloody mess. There was a lot of work to be done to get it ready for the funeral and Bones would not entrust the task to anyone else, even though he hadn't been able to perform the autopsy on his best friend.

Jim's torture by those blasted creatures had left an indescribable amount of wounds. M'Benga had had a difficult time pinpointing what actually killed him, there was so much damage. The bleeding in the brain from the blows to the head had probably done the job, combined with the massive blood loss everywhere else. Bones had nearly thrown up when they'd returned with the brutalized dead captain and barely conscious first officer.

Now he stood in silence over Jim's corpse, preparing to do one last service for his friend.

He sighed heavily and began to wash Jim's face, talking to him as he worked.

"I'm sick that we didn't get to you in time, Jim. One half hour too late. That blasted stronghold/dungeon thing was a nightmare to get into, Sulu said. You held out much longer than I would've with all those injuries."

He stared bleakly at the permanently closed eyes that had once flashed with triumph and the firm, stubborn jaw, before he went down the captain's neck and started on the shoulders, painstakingly wiping away every speck of dirt and blood. There were noticeable whip marks here. They'd soon be covered by the uniform Jim would be buried in, so they hadn't been too picky with the regenerators.

The doctor's heart ached, imagining how much pain Jim must have been in in his final moments. He must have felt relief when he felt himself slipping away, out of the agony from the broken ribs, punctured lung, cracked skull, and severe lacerations.

The grief threatened to swallow Leonard up, but he gritted his teeth and continued down Jim's arms. "Even a cat runs out of lives eventually. Not even James T. Kirk could escape death in the long run. It's finally caught up with you, and I can't bring you back this time."

He ended on almost a sob, picking up Jim's limp hand. The knuckles were scabbed and bloody from the fight he'd put up when he was captured.

"Such a fighter, you were," he muttered, cleaning each finger carefully. "Always coming in with a broken jaw or hand cause you couldn't keep your trap shut or your hands to yourself. Jim Kirk against the world: that was your motto."

He cleaned the other arm in silence, remembering the way Jim used to use his hands to express himself, gesticulating wildly to make a point. He'd often thrown them up in despair when Bones got into it with Spock. "I can't deal with you guys anymore!" He'd declared once in frustration.

Leonard sighed as he peeled the plastic shroud back to work on the chest, which was lined with red-brown streaks and smears from the numerous wounds that been closed up earlier. Jim had kept up his strength training and it showed in the defined muscles. But who cared now?

When Bones dipped the cloth in the water again, it had turned a sickening red. His stomach churned at the sight, but he worked patiently away until his sad job was finished and he was satisfied that the late James T. Kirk was presentable for his own funeral. If a tear or two fell on to his deceased friend, well, no one would ever know.

"Dammit, Jim!"

He sniffled, setting down his bucket and cloth, staring at the remains of his captain.

"Why couldn't I have been there sooner?" His anguished question went unanswered.


End file.
